The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit last Thursday turned aside an emergency stay request filed by Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal that would have delayed the implementation of a standard market design (SMD) in New England, which is set to go into effect this month.

“I am extremely disappointed that the court denied our request for emergency stay to stop the implementation of the SMD,” Blumenthal said. “These new rules threaten to impose dramatic increases in the electric rates and offer no consumer benefits in Connecticut. The new rate structure will go forward [March 1] because the Court has denied our emergency request for relief, but we will seek reversal of this unfair and unwise policy through the normal administrative process and then the courts.”

The court said that Blumenthal should instead file an emergency motion for a stay with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, according to a Dow Jones report. If FERC turns down that request, then Blumenthal could return to the appeals court, Dow Jones reported.

Blumenthal vowed to “continue to oppose the implementation of these rules and will vigorously pursue our appeal of the FERC’s unwarranted and imprudent rate order.” He said that the new rules “will unfairly and unwisely burden Connecticut by imposing regional costs solely on our ratepayers. The concept penalizes economically prosperous and densely populated areas and stifles economic growth that benefits all of New England.”

Several Connecticut lawmakers last week urged FERC to delay implementation of SMD in New England. “Implementation at this time will be detrimental to electric consumers in Connecticut and throughout the region,” the lawmakers told FERC Chairman Pat Wood in their letter. “Given the magnitude of the stakes involved, we do not believe it is appropriate for New England’s SMD to move forward ahead of FERC’s final decision on SMD implementation for the entire country.”

The letter was co-signed by Sens. Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Joe Lieberman (D-CT) and Reps. Rob Simmons (D-CT), John Larson (D-CT), Chris Shays (R-CT) and Rosa DeLauro (D-CT).

©Copyright 2003 Intelligence Press Inc. Allrights reserved. The preceding news report may not be republishedor redistributed, in whole or in part, in any form, without priorwritten consent of Intelligence Press, Inc.